In letters to his dear friend Atticus, Cicero reveals himself as to no other, except perhaps his brother. These letters, in a four-volume series, provide a vivid picture of a momentous period in Roman history--years marked by the rise of Julius Caesar and the downfall of the Republic In letters to his friend Atticus, Cicero (106-43 BCE) reveals himself as to no other of his correspondents except, perhaps, his brother, and vividly depicts a momentous period in Roman history, marked by the rise of Julius Caesar and the downfall of the Republic.